The invention concerns a portable electromedical device consisting of several components, for example a monitor-recording unit and a defibrillator, the components being formed at least nearly in the shape of rectangular blocks with each having a forward wall, a rear wall and two sidewalls and which components in the vicinity of their walls are mechanically and electrically connectable by means of plug connections.
One such device is known from manual number 09-10427-07 "LIFEPAK 5" of the firm Physio Control.
The known device consists of several block shaped components which are provided with a rigid handle extending along the entire width of the device at the forward side. The components can be laterally connected with one another through interengaging connectors formed as a slide with a detent. The sidewalls of the components are provided with exposed contacts which upon the connection of the components to one another move into engagement with one another solely for the purpose of transmitting signal voltages and not for transmitting energizing
Moreover, the components of the known device consist of--apart from the connecting elements--different housing parts.
Portable electromedical devices are generally used for mobile equipment, especially for emergency equipment. In these applications not only is light weight of the device important but also compact dimensions are also important because such devices must often be carried on board ambulances, emergency medical vehicles, rescue boats and the like or in mobile clinics such as so called "heart alarm vehicles".
Devices of the foregoing type, wherein components can be mechanically and electrically connected with one another, have the advantage that the entire system can be handled with one handle and at the same time all the necessary signal connections can be made, such as, for example, are necessary between a cardiological monitor and a defibrillator in order to synchonize the defibrillator with the heart activity of the patient monitored by the monitor. Moreover, with such a complete unit made of several components the difibrillator electrodes can be used as EKG electrodes and the EKG signal can be displayed on a screen of the monitor or for example can be used to indicate the pulse frequency. Also, with corresponding combinations of the unit the EKG signal can also be documented by means of a recorder.
On the other hand this apparatus also has the advantage that the components can be used separately and individually, for example when part of an emergency medical equipment in the case of a traffic accident the device can be separated into its components and the individual components can be used for different accident victims.
The previously mentioned known device does not serve all requirements which can be set for such devices. One objection pertains to the requirement for minimal dimensions insofar as in the known device in the connected condition of the parts both of the handles of the components project outwardly and require space, although a single handle is sufficient. Moreover, the freely exposed contacts for the signal voltages have a disadvantage that electrical disturbances from outside the device can be picked up and can lead for example to erroneous synchronization or false signals. Moreover, the known device has the disadvantage that because of the absence of the possibility of transmitting a source of current from one component to the other component a fully functional current source must be provided in each component and for example in the case of a drained battery of one component the other component cannot be used as a current source and/or to recharge the drained battery. Finally, in the known device there is also the disadvantage that because of the differences in the components the manufacturing as well as the warehousing by suppliers is very complicated and expensive.
The invention therefore has as its object an improvement in a device of the aforedescribed type which in a minimum amount of space for the components which are assembled with one another assures the highest degree of electrical safety and which is as well improved with respect to the avoidance of the pickup of disturbing voltages as well as improved with respect to the current supply and which is simplified as to its manufacture and maintenance and which is therefore more economical.
These objects are met by the invention in that the sidewalls of each component in the areas which border on the forward wall are provided with lateral shackles which project forwardly beyond the forward wall and at their free ends are connected by a handle extending between them, in that the forward wall and/or the rear wall is provided with a channel extending parallel to the handle and in that the handle is slidably connected with the shackles so that upon the connection of two components the free ends of the shackles of one component embrace the sidewalls of the other component and the handle becomes positioned in the vicinity of the channel.
The device of the invention has the essential advantage that a complete device assembled from components only has one handle on its forward side by means of which the device can be taken from a holder or shelf and carried. The handles of the other components in this case are pushed into the channels and require no additional space. If the components are again separated from one another each component again has its own handle and can be handled by itself.
According to a further refinement of the invention the handle upon the connection of two components can be guided against the force of a spring.
This measure has the advantage that upon the separation of two connected components the retracted handle of the one component moves outwardly by itself under the force of the spring and can immediately be grasped.
Advantageously the grip in a device of the invention moves relative to the shackles by means of pins arranged on its ends which move in guide grooves in the shackles.
In a further embodiment of the invention the shackles are provided with mechanical and/or electrical connecting means which cooperate with mechanical and/or electrical connecting means arranged on the area of the rear wall bordering the sidewalls of another component.
This measure has the advantage that one or more of the electrical and/or mechanical connecting means are arranged on the inner side of the shackles and therefore are practically not accessible from the outside. An inadvertent short-circuiting of the connecting means by lateral movement of an electrical conducting object is therefore avoided.
In a preferred embodiment the mechanical connecting means are made of at least one resilient detent in one component which detent cooperates with a recess in the other component.
This arrangement guarantees an especially secure mechanical connection with at the same time an uncomplicated and disturbance-proof construction.
The last-named embodiment is preferably further formed with the detents arranged in the shackles so that the detents are movable, by means of an operating knob, in a guide inclined to the direction in which the components are moved into connection with one another against the force of a spring out of engagement with the recesses.
This measure has as one advantage that the mechanical connection is especially easily made and secure because the detents work in the area in which the shackles laterally embrace the other components.
Moreover the mentioned features have the advantage that the mechanical detent connection is easily released by a simple actuation of the knobs, a property which is of especial significance in the case of emergency devices.
In a further preferred embodiment of the invention the electrical connecting means are formed as contact springs in a component which contact springs cooperate with contact pins or contact strips in another component.
This measure has the advantage that through suitable adjustment of the contact pressure of the springs the contact fork can be definitely guaranteed upon the pushing together of the components and when the components are in their connected state. Moreover, the contact pins and contact strips have the advantage that they fixedly project outwardly from the upper surface of the device so that dirt and other deposits are not to be feared.
In an especially preferred form of the invention a switch is arranged in the area of the shackle which is operated upon the connection of two components, the contacts of which switch are in series with the electrical connecting means.
This feature has the essential advantage that for example the electrical connecting means on which appear signal or supply voltages can be made nonconducting in the event of nonconnected components and those electric connecting means which serve as input means are separated from the remaining electrical units of the components. Therefore, neither signal nor supply outputs can be short-circuited nor signal inputs be effected by disturbing voltages because the electrical connecting means are only switched to one another when the components are connected with one another.
Preferably the latter switch is provided in the form of a microswitch whose operating member is arranged to be operated by the contact spring.
This has the advantage that an especially small number of components are required because the placement of the contact spring serves simultaneously to actuate the microswitch.
In another embodiment of the invention the switch can also be provided by a microswitch, in which embodiment the actuating member of the microswitch is operated upon the bringing together of the shackles of one component with bonnets on another component, which bonnets upon connection of the components border the shackles.
This embodiment is especially suited to that situation in which a large microswitch must be used whose actuating force and/or actuating movement is larger than in the case of the aforementioned embodiment.
In another form of the invention the electrical connecting means of one lateral latch serve to transmit physiological signals and the connecting means of the other lateral latch serve to transmit supply currents.
This measure has the advantage that despite the use of similar contact elements an exchange of the connections cannot be made.
Finally in a further form of the invention the components each consist of an individualist upper portion and a middle portion and a lower portion which middle and lower portions are similar from one component to another and wherein the middle portion has arranged on it the shackles and the channel.
This measure has the advantage that the manufacture and maintenance of the devices is considerably simplified because with the exception of the upper portion, which must be different from one component to the other because of the differing functions of the devices, identical parts can be used. Furthermore, this meausre also has the advantage that different components can be placed in similar holders or partitions of ambulances, helicopters or the like because the breadth and depth of the parts are the same.